Apparatus for repairing string insulators



9, Y L. T. FYFE APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING STRING INSULATORS v v Original Filed May 1, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l l 48 E A3 53 a W Q53 7- 5.; 30 1 s 2 a l. my g "l gu s I [VI/52755 Zia/YARD .7. EYE/5, 5y 7 v I April 9, 1935. T. FYFE 1,997,109

APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING STRI NG INSULATORS Original Filed May 1, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 X WE/L/TJE [50/5/2450 7. EFE, 5y

Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING STRING INSULATORS Leonard T. Fyfe, Slingerlands, N. Y.

Application May 1, 1933, Serial No. 668,674 Renewed October 22, 1934 Claims.

My invention relates to repairing apparatus especially adapted for use in connection with electric lines and especially the so called high tension electric lines. The invention relates also to the method of repairing a string of the insulators that supports a conductor along such lines while such string is in service.

The usual high tension line is carried by steel structures usually provided with arms to which strings of insulators are attached and to which strings a conductor element of the line is in turn attached. Very often, for various reasons, an insulator in a string breaks down and the method of repairing the string, that contains the defective insulator, has heretofore involved the use of block and tackle and a great deal of preliminary work, requiring two or more men and much time. Very often the use of such block and tackle is quite a problem because of the usual presence of obstacles of various sorts, including the other conductors of the line, trees and structures of various sorts.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved method for repairing a string of insulators without disconnecting the conductor which it supports, which method avoids the use of any tackle or blocks and which may be carried out by a single individual, and regardless of the usual neighboring obstructions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of comparatively simple construction and design by means of which the strain through the defective insulator is relieved so that it may be disconnected from the string, and a new insulator substituted.

Another object is to provide a device comprising a frame with side elements, as for example in the form of rods, and with head and base structures interconnected with said side elements and with means whereby said head and base structures may be adjusted along said side elements and to provide means whereby the head element may be anchored to one of the insulators or to an arm of the tower and to provide means whereby the base element may be anchored to one of the insulators or to the line conductor supported by the string of insulators containing the defective one.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention and the means and principles involved therein will be understood in detail from the following description of the elements thereof, of their arrangements and of their mode of operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which description and drawings forms of my invention at present preferred are shown and described.

Referring to said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a- View in elevation of a device embodying the principles and features of my inven- 5 tion, which device is shown applied to a string of insulators, both the top and base elements of the device being anchored, each to one of the insulators of the string.

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device and attached to a string of insulators, Fig. l, the top insulator element of th string, being removed.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing that portion of the device, Fig. 1, between the first and third 15.

insulators.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 with one of the rods removed and with the top and base elements shown open and ready to receive a string of insulators prior to being attached thereto as in Fig.1.

Fig. 6 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective View of a steel structure with a pair of arms, one arm holding a vertical string of insulators, and one holding a pair of strings of insulators, substantially horizontally disposed, serving as dead ends for a conductor element or cable of the line.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a dead end string of insulators to which the device is applied with the head element anchored to one of the arms of the steel structure of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the apparatus of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a side View of a dead end string of insulators with the base element anchored to a conductor element or cable of the line.

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of one of'the details of the head element Fig. '7.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. 6 the steel structure 2, which is of the usual and well known type, is shown provided 40 with a pair of arms 3 and 4, one carrying the string of insulators 5 and the other the strings of insulators 6 and l, the string 5 holding the line conductor 8 and the strings 6 and 1 the conductor 9. The conductor 8 passes through the usual bracket IE3 and the conductor 9 through the usual brackets H and i2, one of which brackets last mentioned, namely the bracket l l is shown in greater detail in Fig. 9.

In the string of insulators 5, as shown in Fig. 1, the bracket i0 is shown disconnected. The string is shown with five insulators I3, M, l5, l6,

H, and is attached to the arm 3 by means of a hook (8 which engages'an eye element l9 clamped to the arm. Each one of these insulators is the insulator I7.

provided with a cap, for example, insulator I 3 with cap 20, I4 with cap ZI, I5 with cap 22, I5 with cap 23 and IT with cap 24. Each insulator is also provided on the under side with a tenon, such as the tenon element 25, shown under the insulator I1, and similar to tenon element 25, Fig. 8. Each of these tenon elements has an opening, such as the opening 21, Fig. 1, that serves as a journal for a bearing pin similar to pin 28, Fig. 8. Each insulator is also provided with a mortise element on the top side such as the mortise elements 29, 39, 8i, 32, 88 Fig. 1 and the mortise elements 94, 35, 36, 31 and 98, Figs. 7 and 8. The insulators are assembled by inserting each tenon in the mortise of the lower insulator, except with respect to the top and bottom insulators, as is indicated in Fig. 8. Each mortise element is perforated to allow a bearing pin similar to pin 28, Fig. 8, to lock the mortise and tenon elements together as the pin 39, Fig. 8, locks the mortise 88 and the tenon 59.

With respect to the top insulator a similar mortise, tenon, and pin combination is used between the top insulator of the string and the hook element of the string, as'for example between the top insulator I3, Fig. 1 and the hook I 8 where the pin 4i locks the mortise 29 and the tenon formed on the lower end of the hook. Or as for example in Fig. 8 where the mortise 34- and the tenon 42 hold the hook 48 and the string of insulators together.

With respect to the bottom insulator a similar mortise, tenon and pin arrangement is used to hold together the line conductor and the bracket which is attached to this conductor, as

for example in Fig. 8, to hold together the bracket II and the insulator M for which purpose the mortise 45, the tenon 26 and the pin 28 are provided. Or to hold together the bracket Ill and With reference to the repairing apparatus or device it comprises a pair of side elements it and 47, preferably rods, which are provided with threads 48, 49, 59 and 51 for receiving the corresponding nuts 52, 53, 5t and 55. Either of these plates 69 and BI which are attached to the arm 56 as indicated, preferably by welding, and with a pair of side braces 62 and 63, (which are attached to their corresponding plates 69 and GI) and to the arm 56, preferably by welding, as indicated. Between the plates I provide a centering element in the form of a semi-circular element 64 which is secured to the plates, preferably by welding. As indicated'in the drawings the braces 62 and 63 are also perforated to allow the rods 45 and 3'! to pass through. The plates 69 and' GI project laterally from the arm 59 sufficiently to support the arm 57 when the latter is closed, as indicated in Fig. 3, with the rod 36 extending through the corresponding perforations in the arms 55, 5?, 58 and 59 and through the perforation of the brace 62.

With this apparatus any one of the intermediate insulators, such as insulators I i, I5 or I6, may be removed from the string while the string is in operation, that is in service, supporting the line conductor 8. For example, if it is desired to remove the insulator I5 from the string 5, the rod 45 is removed from the device and the arms 56 and 5? of the head as well as the arms 58 and 59 of the base are opened, as indicated in Fig. 5 to receive the string 5. The arms are then closed, as indicated in Fig. 1 and the rod 15 run through the corresponding perforations of the arms and of the brace 52 as indicated in Fig. 1. When this is done the head element will rest on the cap 2I of the insulator I I as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, with the curved centering element M resting against the side of the cap.

When the arms of the device are first closed the arms of the base element will clear the bottom face of the insulator I6. This clearance is now closed by means of the nuts 54 and 55 or by means of the nuts 52 and 53 or by means of both sets. are still farther turned until the side rods 46 and 31 and the head and base elements of the device relieve the insulator I5 of all strain due to the weight of the line conductor 8, whereupon the pins 95 and 98 are removed from their mortise and tenon bearings after which the insulator I5 may be removed by sliding its tenon from the mortise of the insulator I9 and its mortise from the tenon of the insulator I4. After being thus removed from the string 5 a new insulator may be substituted and the pins restored. It will be understood that the plane of the rods 38 and 41 may be shifted about the axis of the string to a position that will be most convenient for removing the defective insulator.

After the string has been thus repaired the device may be removed from the string by first removing one of the nuts on the rod 96, removing this rod, again opening the arms as in Fig. 5 and Withdrawing the device from the string.

If the defective insulator should be the last one in the string, as for example the insulator 44, the base element of the device shown in Fig. 9 is substituted for that shown in Fig. 5, which comprises an arm 5'1 and which instead of being curved as the arm 58, for example, extends straight across from one rod 68 to the other 59'; but in order to clear the line conductor 9, the unidole section of the arm is twisted ninety degrees to bring this middle section parallel with the conductor in order to bring the axis of the device as near in line with the conductor as possible. Attached to the outer ends of this arm B'I there are a pair of wires or cables I9 and II which are connected with the jaws I2 and I3 of a wire puller, which jaws engage the conductor 9 as shown between said jaws. The head element of the device in Fig. 9 may be set upon the third insulator of the string, instead of on the second, as in Fig. 1, although if the rods are sufficiently long it makes no diiference on which insulator the head is set.

In order to remove the insulator 54, Fig. 9, the nuts and I5 are tightened on the rods 68 and 59 just as were the nuts 54 and 55 of Fig. 1, the two devices being the same, except as indicated with respect to the base element. When the pull on the insulator 94 is sufiiciently relieved it may be removed in the same manner as the insulator I5 of Fig. 1, and a new one substituted after which the nuts may be released and removed and the device lifted from the string of insulators and disengaged from the conductor.

Should the top insulator 16 Figs. '7 and 8 be defective it may be removed by substituting in the device, the head shown in Figs. 7 and 8 compris- After the clearance is closed the nuts ing a. frame formed of the arm I1 and an arm brace: l8 reinforced bya bracezplateJ-S: This head frame extends directly across from. the rod to. rod? 8 l... The arm TI extendsacross very much the same as the arm 61, Fig. 9 and its mid-portion is similarly twisted but not tov the same extent as the arm 61. The degree of twist corresponds with the slant that the. element 82 in the steel structure arm 4 makes with respect to the rod 80. which latter corresponds to rod 41 Fig. 1. This twist may be observed in Fig. '7- at the points 84 and 85,.and at the samepoints in Fig. 10. On the side of the arm: next to the element 82 I provide a pair of adjustable links 86 and 81 which are held to the arm by the bolts 88 and 89. By loosening these both the links may be separated or brought closer together, to receive between them the edge of the element 82' as indicated in Fig. 10, after which the bolts are tightened and the links clamped asset. The arm brace 18 which is somewhat U shaped is not twisted as the arm I! but extends straight across, as indicated in Fig. 7-. The ends of the brace 18 are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the arm '17. Between theseelements wand 11 I pro-- vide the brace 19 which also is welded or otherwise secured to these elements 18 and 11. The base element of the device in Figs. '7 and 8 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, and is applied to the insulator 90 in the same manner as shown. When thus attached tothe string and to the arm 4 the nuts- 91 and 92 corresponding to nuts 54 and 55 are tightened up to release the pull on the insulator 16. When this is accomplished it may be removed and a new one substituted after which the device may be removed from the string.

The device therefore comprises a companion set of arms, such as the arms 56 and 5'! or the arms 58 and 59, which are hinged to one of the rods, rod 41', for example, so that the arms may be opened to receive a string of insulators, as in Fig. 1 and may then be closed, and locked by the other rod in position engaging and supporting one of the units or elements of the string such as the insulator M at a point along its cap 2|. The device also comprises bridging means, such as the head or the base of the device adapted to be anchored either to one of the units or elements of the string, as in Fig. 1, or to the wire, as in Fig. 9, or to the steel structure as in Fig. 8. The device also comprises means such as the nuts on the rods, for drawing the head and base arms together to relieve the strain or pull along the string of insulators at a point between the companion arms and the bridging means, as for example, at the string element [4, Fig. 1, or at the elements 16 or 44 in Figs. 8 and 9 respectively.

It will be understood that either the head or base, in Fig. 1 may be anchored to one of the units of the string. If the head is anchored the base is drawn toward the head and vice versa, by means of the nuts in the rods.

The device of the invention is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and economical to use, inasmuch as with it the work of several men may be performed more safely, easily and effectively than heretofore.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described the forms that I at present consider as preferred, I do not wish to be limited to such forms inasmuch as the invention is of broad application and may be embodied in other forms.

What I claim is:

1. A device for repairing insulators for high tension electric lines, comprising two rods and a pair of companion arms, each arm being perforated at one end, one of said rods extending through said perforations to' hinge the. arms to said rod, and each arm being perforated at the opposite end, said arms having concave sides facing each other whereby they may be closed with a string of insulators extending between-said armsto bring said perforations in said opposite ends in alignment and whereby said arms whenso closed; may both engage one of the unit elements of the string in one region thereof and extension means attached to the under side of one of said arms and extending away therefrom for engaging said unit element, one extension means on one side-thereof and another extension means on the opposite of the unit element in another region of said unit element said means projecting toward, under and supporting the companion arm, the other one of said rods extending through said aligned perforations to lock said arms about said string, means bridging across from one of said rods to the other and locked thereto, for anchoring said device; and means whereby when the device is so anchored, said companion arms may be drawn toward said bridging means to relieve the strain on the string at a point between said arms and said bridging means.

2. A device for repairing insulators for high tension electric lines, comprising two rods and a pair of companion arms, each arm being perforated at one end, one of said rods extending through said perforations to hinge the arms to said rod, and each arm being perforated at the opposite end, said arms having concave sides facing each other whereby they may be closed with a string of insulators extending between said arms to bring said perforations in said opposite ends in alignment and whereby said arms when so closed, may both engage one of the unit elements of the string in one region thereof and extension means attached to the under side of one of said arms and extending away therefrom for engaging said unit element, one extension means on one side thereof and another extension means on the opposite of the unit element in another region of said unit element said means projecting toward, under and supporting the companion arm, the other one of said rods extending through said aligned perforations to lock said arms about said string, means bridging across from one of said rods to the other and locked thereto, for anchoring said device, and means whereby when the device is so anchored, said companion arms may be drawn toward said bridging means to relieve the strain on the string at a point between said arms and bridging means and a brace between each one of said extension elements and the corresponding end of the arm to which the extension element is attached for holding said extension elements in place.

3. A device for repairing insulators for high tension electric lines, comprising two rods and a pair of companion arms, each arm being perforated at one end, one of said rods extending through said perforations to hinge the arms to said rod, and each arm being perforated at the opposite end, said arms having concave sides facing each other whereby they may be closed with a string of insulators extending between said arms to bring said perforations in said opposite ends in alignment and whereby said arms when so closed, may both engage one of the unit elements of the string in one region thereof and extension means attached to the under side of one of said arms and extending away therefrom for engaging said unit element, one extension means on one side thereof and another extension means on the opposite of the unit element in another region of said unit element said means projecting toward, under and supporting the companion arm, the other one of said rods extending through said aligned perforations to lock said arms about said string, means bridging across from one of said rods to the other and locked thereto, for anchoring said device, and means whereby when the device is so anchored, said companion arms may be drawn toward said bridging means to relieve the strain at a point between said arms and bridging means and a brace between each one of said extension elements and a centering element of the said string unit interposed between said extension means.

4. A device for repairing insulators for high tension electric lines, comprising two rods and a pair of companion arms, each arm being perforated at one end, one of said rods extending through said perforations to hinge the arms to said rod, and each arm being perforated at the opposite end, said arms having concave sides facing each other. whereby they may be closed with a string of insulators extending between said arms to bring said perforations in said opposite ends in alignment and whereby said arms when so closed, may support between them one of the elements of the string, the other one of said rods extending through said aligned perforations to lock said arms about said string, means bridging across from one of said rods to the other and locked thereto, for anchoring said device, and means whereby when the device is so anchored,

said companion arms may be drawn toward said bridging means torelieve the strain on the string at a point between said arms and said bridging means, said bridging element being provided with means for anchoring saidelement to a point along the electric line beyond the string said anchoring means comprising awire puller attached t both ends of the bridging element.

means whereby said arms may be secured to said second rod and said arms locked about said string and in engagement with one ofthe units of said string, means bridging across from one of said rods to the other and locked thereto for anchoring said device and means whereby when the device is so anchored said companion arms may be drawn toward said bridging means to relieve any strain from any line which the string may be supporting, at a point between said arms and said bridging means, said bridging means being provided with anchoring means for anchoring said device to said line at a point beyond said string said anchoring means comprising a wire puller adapted to grip said line.

LEONARD T. FYF'E. 

